Năvodari

The name of the town means "trawlers" in Romanian, indicating that it was originally a fishing village. The town developed during the communist regime as part of the industrialization program. Here, in the 1970s, a phosphates factory was built that polluted the Black Sea and Lake Tasaul with toxic dumps. In the 1990s, the pollution was greatly reduced as the factory was modernized.

The town replaced an ancient fishmongers' village some years ago. Today it is an important chemical and industrial town containing a chemical fertilizer factory, a factory for producing sugar, a car repairs factory and a Petromidia factory specialized in petrochemical products.

The modern incarnation of Năvodari was re-dedicated on 29 June 1979; however, the modernization was begun in 1975. The town has developed in industrial, social and cultural fields; in the center of the town there is a children's town, built between 1969 and 1972, vacation accommodations, and sports facilities where 12,000 visitors can be accommodated.

Some 5 kilometres from the town itself, there is a summer camp (the largest one in Romania), built under the communist regime for school children. Due to its interesting programmes, good accommodation and acceptable prices, it was extremely popular among teachers and parents. In the early 2000s, it was opened for the public at large as a cheap seaside resort.